


I'm okay but she is not

by ChillyMementos



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Depression, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I Tried, I hope to improve my writing, I'm Bad At Tagging, It Gets Worse, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Minor Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Post-Canon, There will be more tags, Verbal Abuse, Zelda has DID
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-07-19 21:28:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19980775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyMementos/pseuds/ChillyMementos
Summary: The battle with Calamity Ganon is finally over, however that doesn't stop our hundred-year-old heroes from moving on with their adventures, in a land that had aged without them. Even though he is no longer a knight, Link shows no signs of ever leaving Zelda alone in this world. After all, he has sworn to protect her no matter the cost. For all the things he has done for her, she knows she will never be able to repay him.But something inside her has changed in the years she was left alone with Ganon. Something that she is not aware of. Whatever it is, she comes to realise it is threatening to ruin everything she is trying to accomplish.Including her relationship with the champion.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was playing the game and recovered Link's memories, I started feeling sorry for him, Zelda, and all of the characters, and just wished they could finally get their happy ending. They will, no matter how bad this gets.
> 
> I also have a rather personal reason for writing this, which is why I changed Zelda a little. Or a lot. If you think I'm not doing a good job handling the subject, you're probably right. As I picture it, this story will get worse, and I will put a warning if it gets out of hand. If you think it does need a warning, let me know.
> 
> Regardless, I still hope you enjoy it.

A young, sleepy girl pulled herself up and out of bed. She felt lightheaded, so she took a few moments to rest on her window and allow her eyes to adjust to the light before she could look outside. It was a bright day. She sat there for a while, admiring the landscape. 

She hadn't been outside, exploring, having fun, in quite a long time.

Zelda felt like she deserved at least a couple more minutes of rest. She had spent the last century fighting after all. However she wanted to enjoy the sunny day, for the first time in years, so the young Hylian had to force herself out of bed. She was still pretty tired, but that wouldn't stop her.  
  
Her blouse and trousers laid on one of the two chairs in the house, neatly folded, and she remembered her shirt was outside, hanging to dry. She remembered the note on the nightstand where that was stated. Zelda smiled to herself and changed into her outfit.  
  
After getting ready, she opened the front door and made her way to the large tree. Link had her promise she wouldn't eat all by herself, and while she wasn't happy to be left alone, waiting again, breaking the promise was not something she would do, or even considered. She rested against the tree's trunk, waiting for the champion to return.  
  
She was used to waking up alone, as he was always quite the early bird. However, Link had asked for Zelda to wait for him in the mornings, so he can cook for her. It was certainly odd to see the mighty Hylian champion's face light up when it came to the simple task of cooking, even so, she valued his wish, and waiting for him soon became a part of her everyday routine. She thought this was his way of opening up to her, and didn't want to crush it.

Zelda was watching the clouds form all kinds of shapes when she heard footsteps from the bridge opposite his house. He had returned home, at last. His face lit up when he saw Zelda there, and did not return to his usual, stoic expression. Instead, it clouded. Link approached her slowly, and she stood up to greet him.  
  
Zelda stretched and yawned "Goodmorning" She didn't expect him to say it back to her as he was mute, but seeing him get down on one knee and stare at the grass beneath him did not cross her mind. She was stunned, and noticed he wasn't getting up. Normally, that would mean he is apologizing to her, in his own way. But if that was the case, then what was he sorry for? And why?  
  
He was no longer serving as her appointed knight, yet Link took her in, refused to sleep in his bed, and would always cook for her. Not to mention he was always by her side, still protecting her from all harm. She felt she would never be able to repay him back for everything he has done for her in her entire life.  
  
"You may stand up, you don't have any reason to bow to me. I'm no longer a princess, and even if that was not the case, you needn't think of me so highly", she noticed him hesistate, before getting on his feet, averting his gaze from her own. She noticed something was off, but decided against pushing him to admit to it. Instead, she would cheer him up.  
  
"What are you cooking today, Sir Link?" she playfully asked, while teasingly using his former title. Success. She noticed his eyes light up once again and a small smile lingering on his lips as he walked inside. She would pat herself on the back for the idea if she could, seeing him happy was all she cared about.  
  
Zelda decided to follow him, and stood by the doorway. She observed as he carefully picked out the ingredients he would use. An egg, some milk, Tabantha wheat and a piece of cane sugar. He placed them on the table and picked up a wildberry and some honey. Zelda noticed him look at each of them in silence, then to her direction, and back at his hands. Soon enough, he walked to her side and extended his hands towards her, raising either of the ingredients. Gesturing her to choose.  
  
"Aww, it's alright. Don't you want to choose instead?"  
  
He looked off to the side, she took that as a no. She still didn't want to have to choose, it may have seemed trivial, but she wanted him to feel free to choose for himself. But what if this was what she trully wanted, and she was ruining it for him? The image of the boy kneeling down before her though was enough to change her mind.  
  
"Alright then. I'll go with the honey! Are you okay with that?" he let a slight nod, and went back to the table, while Zelda walked outside. She had no idea how all it took him was 5 measly ingredients to prepare the perfect meal, and she admired him for it. Her own cooking skills were limited, she would always rely on Link to cook something nice for her.  
  
Maybe he could teach her.  
  
She brushed the thought off, he had better things to do that to teach her, an arrogant self-centered girl, how to cook. But it didn't seem like a terrible idea. The former princess decided to give asking a shot. She thought that the worse that could happen is have Link refuse.

She once noticed that, while preparing the food, Link was always humming to himself. As cute as she thought that was, now she had to bring him back to the real world for a moment, to ask him.

"Hey, so uh..." she stuttered, thinking of what to say next. Link went silent and turned his head to look at her. She looked away the moment their eyes met "So I have been watching you work on your meals for uh... quite a long time. And I was wondering if you would like to..." Zelda paused and worked the courage to look into his eyes "if you would like t-to help me learn"  
  
The blonde girl looked at her feet, forgetting that she wouldn't hear his response. Jerking her head up, she saw his smile, and his left hand curled with his thumb up.   
  
Link's attention bounced back to his food. She couldn't be happier. She would finally learn how to cook, and not just that, but the hero himself would teach her! It felt like a dream came true! She remembered her tunic was still outside according to him, so she used that as an excuse to walk away. She was excited, and couldn't wipe the smile off her face if she wanted to.  
  
Her light blue tunic was hanging there, under the sunlight. Zelda touched it, it had dried off completely, and about time it did too. She stared at it, lost in her thoughts. The most recent events played back in head. She could see outside her window once again. She sat under the tree and admired the landscape. She watched Link asking her to choose if she wanted honey or wildberries. She saw him preparing the meal, humming, lost in his own happy world. And she saw him smile.  
  
_That smile._  
  
Zelda put it on over her blouse. Her posture stiffened and she focused on her feet.  
Was he happy?

He looked happy.

But why when all he did was follow her everywhere and complete mundane tasks for her? 

Why was he there in the first place? He was no longer her knight! He shouldn't be following her anymore! She could take care of herself if anything happened to her, so why was he making her feel worthless once more?

Overwhelmed with emotion, Zelda sighed and made her way back inside.


	2. Chapter 2

_That smile_  
  
She focused on the image in her head, Link's smile. She knew something was off about it, he never smiled after all. Just knowing that was not enough, though. She needed to know what made him smile, and she could think of nothing good.   
  
He knew she didn't like to be followed around, yet there he was, cooking for her, as if she couldn't do it on her own. She could take care of herself, who was he to guilt her into thinking otherwise? She paused. Zelda finally figured it out.  
  
_Link wanted to make her feel incapable, so that she keeps him around to "protect" her, while he steals the credit of fighting off Calamity Ganon for 100 years._  
  
Her hands formed fists. She had to get back at him for what he has done, and fast. She would storm inside and she would start by striking where it hurts the most. That stupid meal.   
  
_She could force that smile away in mere seconds._  
  
Zelda giggled, she was about to set her plan in motion. She stormed into the house.

  
  
Link was mixing up stuff in his bowl. He must have heard her, yet his gaze stayed glued on the bowl. Was he ignoring her? That's some nerve coming from her former knight.   
  
He was no longer her knight.   
  
And yet he was still there.   
  
_He had to go._  
  
"You sure do enjoy invading people's privacy"  
  
He turned to look at her, his hands occupied with the bowl he was holding, and while he still maintained a poker face Zelda noticed a slight change in his attitude. Link looked rather... confused? What was there to not understand!? He was so easy to read, was he really that surprised she figured him out?  
  
"You're always lurking behind me, like you're my shadow, for absolutely no reason. I don't need you or anyone else to follow me around like that!"  
  
No response, as expected.  
  
Zelda sighed, she noticed her eyebrows had furrowed and she was clenching her fists tighter. She took a good look at Link, he was no longer looking to her direction, choosing to focus on the contents of that bowl instead.   
  
He chose to ignore her again.  
  
_Over that stupid bowl._  
  
She marched over and jerked it away from his arms, causing some of the contents to spill on his tunic and the floor. She knew Link could care less about his outfit, but the same could not be said about his food or the mess she made. Her assumption was proven right by the glare he shot at her, full of anger and confusion.  
  
"Awwh are you mad?", she teased, as she shot the bowl to his direction out of spite, spilling the rest of the mix on the wooden floor and his boots. Zelda didn't care about the mess she made, but she knew it was super effective against Link. He lowered his gaze and his posture was tense. "If you have something to say to me, then say it!"  
  
Again, she knew better than to wait for an answer. Still, they spent the rest couple of seconds in utter silence, Zelda starring at him and Link at the spilt crêpes mixture.   
  
"You went silent because of all the pressure of becoming a _hero_ , yes?"   
  
She started to walk towards Link. Why couldn't he just look at her, he was so full of himself!  
  
"The hero of what? You wake up after one hundred years of doing nothing and just for that one moment you spent at the castle you get all the credit for defeating the calamity! Congrats, her--"  
  
Zelda paused as she lost her balance. Their eyes finally met, and she saw worry into his before darkness got the best of her.  
  
_____  
  
_A young sleepy girl pulled herself up and out of bed. She felt lightheaded, so she took a few moments to rest on her window and allow her eyes to adjust to the light before she could look outside--_  
  
What light?  
  
It was dark outside, the only visible light sources being the stars and the moon.  
  
Why did she wake up so late?  
  
After those years she spent with Calamity Ganon, her sleep scedule had fallen apart. She spent a couple of days sleeping constantly, and then slept for more than twelve hours a day. But she made sure to always sleep early, so she could be awake during the day, no matter how late she woke up.  
  
So how did she manage to stay asleep for so long?  
  
She brushed the thought aside. She decided not to change and go back to bed, however she noticed she wasn't wearing her pijamas to begin with. Instead, she wore her exploration outfit.   
  
That was strange.  
  
Zelda scanned the room but she couldn't spot her pijamas anywhere. She made her way down the stairs, to see where she could have put them. If Link found them, he would most likely fold them and put them in a place she would notice.  
  
But they were nowhere. And neither was he.  
  
As she looked for her pijamas she noticed a bowl on the table and some kitchen utensils. Zelda had no idea exactly what was going on, but it looked like they had been left there for a while and they weren't that clean. Link was never messy, he always put everything where it belonged.   
  
It was one of the first things she picked up about him when he was first assigned as her appointed knight. Whenever she made a mess in her room, he would subconsciously stare at it until she put things back together. She did not allow anyone in her room, even to clean it, so she began leaving things around on purpose. She could tell the mess in her room bothered Link. However, after he saved her from the Yiga, she spent an entire day cleaning her room, refusing his or anyone else's help. She could tell it had an effect on him, her knight looked much more relaxed than before.  
  
His house was always spotless, and even when she made a mess, he always cleaned up after it. So why had he made a mess instead? Didn't that bother him anymore?  
  
She tried to justify that in her head. Those years he spent in the shrine of ressurection could have done a number on him. Or maybe he had to get more supplies or something. She had no idea what time it was and she was never awake when he went out in the morning.  
  
This was it.  
  
She sighed in relief, choosing not to worry about him. He could take care of both himself and her, she had no reason to feel like that. Both before the calamity and after he woke up, Link had taken down any enemy he stumbled upon, lynels, stone taluses, anyone. He had freed the spirits of the Champions after a fight with their respective Ganon. He had proven himself worthy of the Master Sword once again.   
  
And he had taken down Calamity Ganon.  
  
After telling herself that, she went back to face one greater challenge. Find out where she left her pijamas...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But little did she know, that the real challenge she is up against is far greater than that...

**Author's Note:**

> I have a lot of room to improve so each and every comment will be appreciated. Please try to be nice to each other, remember behind every screen is a real life person just like yourself.


End file.
